- Marriage was permitted in the sanatoria. It was a means of making the patients lose their yearning to return to their hometowns and decide to live their entire life in the sanatorium. It was a way to prevent escape of the patients.
- The married couples were not able to live together, as rooms were segregated between men and women. It was only in the evenings that they could spend time together.
- While marriage was permitted, it was forbidden for married couples to have children for a number of reasons. One reason was to prevent the children from contracting Hansen’s disease. It was also forbidden to raise children in the sanatorium, as there was no provision for preventing infection and no alternative to raising their children outside the sanatorium.
- In order to prevent the birth of children men had to be sterilized and pregnant women to abort their babies. This was stripping the dignity of the baby that was to be born as well as the right to bear children.
- Therefore, many residents did not have children nor grandchildren. They were deprived of the joy of seeing their children grow up and enjoying grandchildren in their old age.
